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Police find six blades near scene of boy's fatal stabbing
Justin Davenport29.04.09
Detectives have recovered about six knives believed to have been abandoned near the scene of a teenager's murder in south London.
They suspect the knives were left after up to 30 youths from two gangs fought a running battle on a Lambeth estate in which a 16-year-old boy was killed. At least six other youths were injured.
Search teams recovered the weapons on the Lansdowne Estate after the youth was found dying from multiple stab wounds on Monday night.
Residents reported a mass knife fight on the estate which ended with the fatal attack in an alley to Larkhall Park. Police and ambulance staff said they came under attack as they tried to help the dying boy in Priory Court.
There were also up to four retaliatory gang fights in surrounding estates after the fatal stabbing, according to police.
Detectives questioned four men aged from 15 to 25, all of whom suffered knife wounds, on suspicion of murder. A fifth, aged 17, also had stab wounds and was arrested in hospital on suspicion of assault.
Residents of the estate today said the boy's father and sister were devastated and unable to talk about what happened.
Det Chief Insp Damian Allain, who is leading the inquiry, said: "We think there may be rival factions and this was a tit-for- tat reprisal for an incident that may have occurred earlier in the evening."
A grieving friend of the victim visited the scene last night and said: "He was a great person. He was like the joker in the pack and he kept everyone entertained. No one had a bad word to say about him. He was like my little brother. I can't believe he is gone."
Friends laid floral tributes throughout the evening. One read: "You will be missed by everyone but never forgotten. I can still see your cheeky smile."
Seven teenagers have died violently in the capital this year.
